Sound and illumination device for bicycles

ABSTRACT

A sound and illumination device including a sound-making portion, an illumination portion, and an attachment portion for mounting on a bicycle. The sound-making portion including a lever, a spring, a striking portion, and a metal portion, wherein the metal portion covers the lever, the spring, and the striking portion. The lever may include a magnet. The illumination portion including a cover portion, an electrical circuit, a switch, a light emitting source and a power source. Actuation of the lever of the sound-making portion results in the activation of the light emitting source of the illumination portion resulting in the concurrent emission of light and sound.

This application is a continuation of and claims priority to co-pendingU.S. application Ser. No. 17/591,942 entitled “Sound and IlluminationDevice for Bicycles” filed Feb. 3, 2022, and the benefit of U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 63/145,080, filed on Feb. 3, 2021,each of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety herein.

BACKGROUND

Although mostly recreational, biking can be a potentially dangerousactivity. Many jurisdictions require by law the use of a bicycle bell asa safety measure to alert pedestrians of an approaching bicycle.However, stand-alone bicycle bells fail to alert pedestrians that are,for example, hearing-impaired or have temporary limited hearing due tothe use of headphones or earphones. Therefore, there is a need for anenhanced safety bicycle device that provides audio and visual alertssimultaneously.

SUMMARY

Currently disclosed is a sound and illumination device for bicyclescomprising a sound-making portion, an illumination portion, and anattachment portion for mounting on a bicycle. The sound-making portioncomprising a lever, a spring, a striking portion, and a metal portion,wherein the metal portion covers the lever, the spring, and the strikingportion. The lever may include a magnet. The illumination portioncomprising a cover portion, an electrical circuit, a switch, a lightemitting source and a power source. The switch may comprise a reedswitch. Alternatively, the switch may comprise a hall-effect sensor.

Actuation of the lever of the sound-making portion results in theactivation of the light emitting source of the illumination portion;thus, resulting in the concurrent emission of light and sound. Operationof the lever causes the striking portion to make contact with the metalportion. The metal portion reverberate emitting sound. Simultaneously,operation of the lever causes the lever to move from a starting point toan ending point. In an embodiment, wherein the lever includes a magnet,moving the lever from a starting point to an ending point causes themagnet to move over the switch of the illumination portion resulting inthe concurrent activation of the light emitting source.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features of the inventive embodiments will become apparent tothose skilled in the art to which the embodiments relate from readingthe specification and claims with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a sound and illumination bicycle device;

FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded view of a sound and illumination bicycledevice;

FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded view of parts of a sound and illuminationbicycle device;

FIG. 4 illustrates an exploded view of a sound and illumination bicycledevice;

FIG. 5 illustrates parts of an illumination portion of a sound andillumination bicycle device;

FIG. 6 illustrates a sound and illumination bicycle device;

FIG. 7 illustrates a sound and illumination bicycle device;

FIG. 8 illustrates a sound and illumination bicycle device;

FIG. 9 illustrates an exploded view of parts of a sound and illuminationbicycle device; and

FIG. 10 illustrates an exploded view of a sound and illumination bicycledevice.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

As illustrated in FIGS. 1-10 , currently claimed is a sound andillumination bicycle safety device 10 comprising a sound-making portion12, an illumination portion 14, and an attachment portion 16. Thesound-making portion 12 is removably attached to the illuminationportion 14. The illumination portion 14 is removably attached to theattachment portion 16. The attachment portion provides for the safetydevice to be mounted to a bicycle, for example to a handlebar of thebicycle. Operation of the sound-making portion results in thesimultaneous activation of the illumination portion providing for anenhanced bicycle safety device.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2-4 , the sound-making portion 12 comprises alever 18, a spring 22, a striking portion 24, and a metal portion 26,wherein the metal portion 26 covers the lever, the spring, and thestriking portion. The metal portion 26 may comprise a removable attachedtop portion 48. The striking portion 24 is removable attached to thelever 18. The striking portion may comprise a rotational element 46 withat least one hammer element 48.

The lever 18 may further comprise a magnet 20. The spring 22 is attachedto the lever 18 keeping the lever in tension. As illustrated in FIG. 3 ,when the lever is operated by pushing the same forward (represented witha dashed arrow), the lever stretches the spring and moves from astarting point to an ending point. The spring then pulls the lever backto the starting position. Said movement has been illustrated with adouble-headed arrow.

As shown in FIGS. 4-7 , the illumination portion 14 comprises a coverportion 28, an electrical circuit 30, a switch 32, a light emittingsource 34 and a power source 36. The cover portion may comprise of atranslucent material. The cover portion may comprise a single portion28. Alternatively, or additionally, the cover portion may comprise tworemovably attached portions 28′.

The power source 36 powers the light emitting source 34. The powersource may comprise at least one battery, for example, a cell battery.Alternatively, or additionally, the power source may comprise a solarcell battery or batteries. The illumination portion may furthercomprises a battery lid 52. Said battery lid removably attached to thecover portion, for example, with fasteners 54.

The cover portion 28 of the illumination portion encloses the electricalcircuit, the switch, the light emitting source and the power source. Theswitch is in electrical contact with the circuit and with the lightemitting source providing for the light emitting source to be activated,as desired. In one embodiment, the switch may be a reed switch. Inanother embodiment, the switch may be a hall-effect sensor.

The illumination portion may further comprise a printed circuit board(PCB) 42 located within the cover portion 28. The switch 32 may beconnected to PCB 42, said PCB in electrical contact with the lightemitting source.

Operation of the currently disclosed safety device 10 results insimultaneous light and sound emission. The lever 18 of the sound-makingportion is removably attached to the illumination portion. The lever 18is located within the cover portion 28 of the illumination portion. Asillustrated in FIGS. 8-9 , operation of the lever 18 causes the strikingportion 24 to make contact with the metal portion 26 causing the metalportion to reverberate; thus, emitting a sound. Concurrently, operatingthe lever of the sound-making portion causes the switch of theillumination portion to activate. This in turn, triggers the electricalcircuit of the illumination portion to activate the light emittingsource, for example, a light emitting diode (LED), to emit light. Thus,operation of the lever causes the device to emit both sound and light atthe same time.

As shown in FIG. 9 , the lever 18 may include a magnet 20. Pushing thelever with magnet 20 forward causes the magnet 20 to move over theelectrical circuit 30 and switch 32. When the magnet moves over theswitch, a closed circuit is formed and power flows. This closed circuitthen powers the light emitting source 34, for example an LED; thus,emitting light. Alternatively, or additionally, the closed circuit maypower the PCB 42, which in turn powers the light emitting source 34 fora period of time.

In another embodiment, the switch 32 may comprise a conductive portionelectrically attached to one end of the electrical circuit. When thelever is operated, the lever stretches the spring and moves from astarting position to an ending position. The spring then pulls the leverback to the starting position. In the starting position, the lever maybe pushed against the conductive portion. The conductive portion moveswith the lever and contacts a terminal. When the conductive portioncontacts the terminal, a closed circuit is formed and power flows. Thisclosed circuit then powers the light emitting source, for example, aLED. Alternatively, the closed circuit may power the PCB, which in turnpowers light emitting source for a period of time.

As shown in the Figures, for example in FIG. 10 , the device comprisesin part an attachment portion 16. The attachment portion is removablyattached to the illumination portion 14 via, for example, fasteners 56.The attachment portion allows for the device to be mounted to a bicycle,for example, to a handlebar. The attachment portion may comprise a clampmounting.

While this invention has been shown and described with respect to adetailed embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled inthe art that changes in form and detail thereof may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the claims of the invention.

What is claimed:
 1. A sound and illumination bicycle device comprising: a sound-making portion; an illumination portion; and an attachment portion; wherein the sound-making portion is removably attached to the illumination portion, wherein the illumination portion is removably attached to the attachment portion, wherein the sound-making portion comprises a lever with a magnet, a spring, a striking portion, and a metal portion, the spring attached to the lever, the striking portion removably attached to the lever, and the metal portion covering the lever, the spring and striking portion, wherein the illumination portion comprises a cover portion, an electrical circuit, a switch, a light emitting source, and a power source, the power source powering the light emitting source, and the cover portion enclosing the electrical circuit, the switch, the light emitting source and the power source, and wherein actuation of the lever simultaneously activates the light emitting source of the illumination portion.
 2. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the switch of the illumination portion is a reed switch.
 3. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the switch of the illumination portion is a hall effect sensor.
 4. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the light emitting source of the illumination portion comprises at least one light emitting diode (LED).
 5. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the power source of the illumination portion comprises a cell battery.
 6. The device as claimed in claim 1, the illumination portion further comprising a printed circuit board (PCB) in electrical contact with the light emitting source.
 7. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cover portion of the illumination portion comprises a translucent material.
 8. The device as claimed in claim 1, the cover portion of the illumination portion comprising two removably attached portions.
 9. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the striking portion of the sound-making portion comprises a rotational element with at least one hammer element.
 10. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the attachment portion comprises a mounting clamp, the mounting clamp attaching the device to a bicycle handlebar.
 11. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metal portion of the sound-making portion comprises a removably attached top portion.
 12. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switch comprises a conductive portion. 